Tigerair Taiwan launches flights to Hukuoka and Ibaraki, ticket sales start at the end of January

Tigerair Taiwan today held a joint press conference with Ibaraki Prefecture and Iwate Prefecture in Japan, announcing the launch of two new routes from Taoyuan to Ibaraki and Taoyuan to Hukuoka by the end of March. Tigerair Taiwan will also be the only international scheduled charter airline operating out of Hukuoka Airport in Japan, with two weekly flights on both routes.

Tigerair Taiwan stated that initially, the Taoyuan-Ibaraki route will operate twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. The outbound flight IT8218 departs Taoyuan Airport at 9:30 AM, and the return flight IT8219 departs Ibaraki Airport at 3:00 PM. Starting from 10:00 AM on January 24 until 11:59 PM on January 25, Tigerair’s official website will offer promotional one-way fares starting from NT$2,199 (excluding tax), valid for travel from March 26 to October 27.

For the initial phase of the Taoyuan-Hukuoka route, flights will operate twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The outbound flight IT8258 departs Taoyuan Airport at 12:15 PM, and the return flight IT8259 departs Hukuoka Airport at 5:50 PM. To celebrate the launch, Tigerair Taiwan will offer promotional one-way fares starting from NT$2,099 (excluding tax) from 10:00 AM on January 22 until 11:59 PM on January 23, valid for travel from March 28 to June 30.

Tigerair Taiwan Chairman Chang Hung-chung mentioned that during his visit to Ibaraki last July, he signed a memorandum of understanding with former Ibaraki Governor Hashimoto Masaru, expressing hope to transition the short-term charter plan between Taoyuan and Ibaraki into a scheduled service as soon as possible. He noted that within the next two to three years, Tigerair Taiwan will focus on building a solid market foundation, with no plans to add new destinations in the immediate future. Becoming a scheduled flight requires approval from both civil aviation authorities, and they hope this can be achieved as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, current Ibaraki Governor Oigawa Kazuhiko and his delegation visited Taiwan not only to promote Ibaraki tourism but also to meet with Tigerair Taiwan. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress made toward their shared goals and the upcoming transition of the Taoyuan-Ibaraki route to a scheduled charter service.

Ibaraki boasts vast land, fertile soil, and abundant marine and mountain resources, along with rich tourism offerings. It is home to one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, Kairakuen, and Hitachi Seaside Park, a renowned flower viewing destination, offering unique experiences for an extraordinary North Kanto journey.

Iwate Governor Tasso Takuya and Tigerair Taiwan Chairman Chang Hung-chung publicly signed a memorandum of understanding today, expressing their mutual hope to enhance exchanges and development between Taiwan and Iwate. They look forward to the Taoyuan-Hukuoka route becoming a scheduled flight as soon as possible to benefit travelers from both regions and potentially create more business opportunities.

Hukuoka is located in the central-western part of Iwate Prefecture and is famous nationwide for its Hukuoka Onsen area, which includes over ten hot springs such as Ubuyu, Hukuoka, Shitohira, Osawa, and Namari. Additionally, Hukuoka Airport is the sole air gateway to Iwate Prefecture, making it the most convenient access point to explore various attractions in Iwate and Hukuoka.

Currently, Tigerair Taiwan operates in nine Japanese cities: Hakodate, Sendai, Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Osaka Kansai, Okayama, Fukuoka, and Okinawa. With the addition of Komatsu on January 18, Ibaraki on March 26, Asahikawa on March 27, and Hukuoka on March 28, the total number of destinations in Japan will reach 13. Passengers can depart from either Taoyuan or Kaohsiung, bringing the total number of Taiwan-Japan routes operated by Tigerair Taiwan to 17. Travelers can also combine different destinations to enjoy an in-depth exploration of Japan’s diverse offerings.